What is haemoglobin?
Haemoglobin (also written as heamoglobin) is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to every cell in the body via the arteries.
Haemoglobin is made up of:
- Haeme (or heme) – contains iron ions and
- Globin – contains serum proteins
Important haemoglobin facts
- The iron in haemoglobin is responsible for the red colour of blood
- Low haemoglobin levels in otherwise healthy individuals normally indicate some type of anaemia
Why haemoglobin is important
Haemoglobin is important as it allows all cells to breath. Without oxygen the cells would die.
Normal levels of haemoglobin in adults are:
- Male: 13.8 to 17.2 gm/dL
- Female: 12.1 to 15.1 gm/dL